"You have a Fulsbee and a Reade on the job, sir. Don't worry.

I'm not doing any real worrying, and I promise you that I'm not going to be beaten."

"It will be a genuine wonder if Reade is beaten," reflected Mr.

Newnham, watching the cub's athletic figure as Tom walked through the centre of the camp. "I never knew a man of any age who was more resourceful or sure to win than this same cub, Tom Reade, whose very name was unknown to me a few weeks ago. Yet I shiver!

I can't help it. Men just as resourceful as Tom Reade are sometimes beaten to a finish!"

CHAPTER XX

MR. NEWNHAM DROPS A BOMB

The field work was done. Yet the field engineers were not dismissed.

Instead, they were sent back along the line. The construction gang was still twelve miles out of Lineville, and the time allowed by the charter was growing short.

At Denver certain politicians seemed to have very definite information that the S.B. & L. R.R., was not going to finish the building of the road and the operating of the first through train within charter time.

Where these politicians had obtained their news they did not take the trouble to state.

However, they seemed positive that, under the terms of the charter, the state would take over as much of the railroad as was finished, pay an appraisal price for it, and then turn the road over to the W.C. & A. promoters to finish and use as part of their own railway system.

These same politicians, by the way, were a handful of keen, unscrupulous men who derived their whole income from politics, and who had always been identified with movements that the better people of the state usually opposed.

Mr. Thurston and his a.s.sistant, Blaisdell, were now able to be up and to move about a little, but were not yet able to travel forward to the point that the construction force had now reached.

Neither Thurston nor Blaisdell was in fit shape to work, and would not be for some weeks to come.

Mr. Newnham, who had learned in these weeks to ride a horse, came along in saddle as Tom and Harry stood watching the field camp that was now being rapidly taken down by the few men left behind.

"Idling, as usual, Reade?" smiled the president of the road.

"This time I seem to have a real excuse, sir," chuckled Tom.

"My work is finished. There isn't a blessed thing that I could do, if I wanted to. By tomorrow I suppose you will be paying me off and letting me go."

"Let you go---before the road is running?" demanded Mr. Newnham, in astonishment. "Reade, have you noted any signs of my mind failing lately?"

"I haven't, sir."

"Then why should you imagine that I am going to let my chief engineer go before the road is in operations"

"But I was acting chief, sir, only of the field work."

"Reade," continued Mr. Newnham, "I have something to tell you.

Thurston has left our employ. So has Blaisdell. They are not dissatisfied in any way, but neither man is yet fit to work.

Besides, both are tired of the mountains, and want to go east together as soon as possible and take up some other line of engineering work. So---well, Reade, if you want it, you are now chief engineer of the S.B. & L. in earnest."

"Don't trifle with me, sir!" begged Tom incredulously. "I'm too far from home."

"No one has ever accused me of being a humorist," replied Mr.

Newnham dryly. "Now tell me, Reade, whether you want the post I have offered you?"

"Want it?" echoed Tom. "Of course I do. Yet doesn't it seem too 'fresh' in a cub like myself to take such a post?"

"You've won it," replied the president. "It's also true that you're only a cub engineer in years, and there are many greater engineers than yourself in the country. You have executive ability, however, Reade. You are able to start a thing, and then put it through on time---or before. The executive is the type of man who is most needed in this or any other country."

"Is an executive a lazy fellow who can make others work!" asked Reade.

"No; an executive is a man who can choose other men, and can wisely direct them to big achievements. An executive is a director of fine team play. That describes you, Reade. However---you haven't yet accepted the position as chief engineer of the S.B. & L."

"I'll end your suspense then, sir," smiled the cub. "I _do_ accept, and with a big capital 'A'."

"As to your salary," continued Mr. Newnham, "nothing has been said about that, and nothing need be said until we see whether the road is operating in season to save its charter. If we save our charter and the road, your salary will be in line with the size of the achievement."

"If we should lose the charter, sir," Tom retorted, his face clouding, "I don't believe I'd take any interest in the salary question.

Money is a fine thing, but the game---the battle---is twenty times more interesting. However, I'm going to predict, Mr. Newnham, that the road WILL operate on time."

"I believe you're going to make good, Reade, no matter what a small coterie of politicians at Denver may think. I never met a man who had success stamped more plainly on his face than you have. By the way, I shall ask you to keep Mr. Howe as an a.s.sistant.

You still have the appointment of one other a.s.sistant, in place of Mr. Blaisdell."

"I know the fellow I'd like to appoint," cried Tom eagerly.

"If you're sure about him, then go ahead and appoint him," responded the president of the S.B. & L. railway.

"Hazelton!" proclaimed Tom. "Good, old dependable Harry Hazelton!"

"Hazelton would be a wise choice," nodded Mr. Newnham.

"Harry!" called Reade, as his chum appeared in the distance.

"Come here hustle!"

Mr. Newnham turned away as Hazelton came forward. Tom quickly told his chum the news.

"I? a.s.sistant chief engineer?" gasped Harry, turning red. "Whew, but that's great! However, I'm not afraid of falling down, Tom, with you to steer me. What's the pay of the new job!"

"Not decided," rejoined Tom. "Wait until we get the road through and the charter is safe."

"Never mind the wages. The job's the thing, after all!" cried Harry, his face aglow. "Whew! I'll send a letter home tonight with the news."

"Make it a small post card, then, concealed under a postage stamp,"

counseled Reade dryly. "We've work ahead of us---not writing."

"What's the first thing you're going to do?" inquired Hazelton.

"The first thing will be to get on the job."

"You're going back to the construction force?"

"I am."